07/26/2015 - Brands Park, Avondale, Elston and Henderson

Post #25

The Geformed panoramic.

We've been on hiatus, as it were.  But we're back, enthusiastic as ever to explore the riches of Chicago parkitecture(TM).  Yesterday, we headed up to Brands Park, to see what that was all about.

My goofs aboard a turtle.

I think I've been avoiding this because my backlog, as mentioned in post #23.  The kids get psyched about going to these parks and I think they think the blog is cool too, so when I had five entries that I'd neglected to post, I tried to avoid it.  They encouraged me to clear my plate, and I've done so - we're back on track.

Brands Park is located up on Elston and Henderson, in Avondale.  We chose it after a failed attempt.  We tried taking the 606 from our house (California and Armitage) west to a park I witnessed on the Maps app on my iPhone (we use different methods to scope out a park), which turned out to be at Richard Yates Elementary School - and completely fenced in.  After both of my kids suggesting we hop the fence, I decided that that wasn't the way I'd like to shape this blog and I would rather just say, "Richard Yates Elementary, thanks a lot for tempting us with your playground... didn't your mom ever teach you to share?"  I get it, you're a school, not a public park, but even Brentano Math & Science Academy shares it's playground - which was so good we went there twice. 

Anyways, we found Brands Park after a wider "not within walking distance" search.

And the boys found it to be:

Máximo - ★★★★, "I rated this park a four, because, well, I really liked it a lot.  But, everything was too small for me - but we still had fun."

George Carlos - ★★★★ 1/2, "I give it a four and a half, because there was a zip line thing that I really liked.  That was pretty good, and there were some other things, like, the maze ball thing, where you turn it around, the ball (a ball bearing labyrinth toy).  That's good.  I really liked the swings.  I like the chair swing, that was really fun.  And, yeah, that's all."

G riding the dolphin.

Brands has all of the decent equipment we've come to expect from a city park, as well as the smaller equipment for toddlers (including the small swings).

There are strange child workout pieces:

The chains are a little low for M - the weird hand crank is in the foreground.

Normal slide equipment:

We did our thing on the twisty slide.

A G-quence (sorry); better facilities view.

Here's the slide from the toddler half of the park.

Those spring things parks have had as long as I can remember.

Spring things - I got M to pose with a normal face, G is still frozen in goof mode.

Swings are important, and although these were too low (for my 7 and 9 year-old, not to mention me), we still managed to have fun with it.

George Carlos always makes a b-line for the recliner.

Georgie wanted a slow-mo video (these were both supposed to be in slow motion, but they didn't come through that way, apparently):

Máximo and I got in on the action, as well:

Growing bored of Máximo and my attempts at the swing-jump to piggyback, George decided to make some art:

The start of a face.

The finished glyph.

Zip lines are always welcome in our trips to check out parks, and this one proved worthy of our attention.  Well-oiled and safe, it was.

Air time.

Brands gets the seal of approval.  We all liked it and didn't even need to bring our water, as they had drinking fountains, which is always very much appreciated, particularly in July.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Brands-Park/

12/27/2014 - Park on SE corner of Humboldt Park, Humboldt Park, Augusta and Sacramento (Humboldt Drive)

Post #24

The view from prominent equipment.

Oh Humboldt Park, you've been so generous to this blog.  You've provided the boys and me with not just one, or two parks to review, but three previous parks, making this the fourth park within Humboldt (although this one technically lies across the street from the park proper, while the other three are within the confines of the park).

M and G - 4 days before GCVV completed his 7th year on Earth.

This park, whose sign just reads "Playground," is located immediately East of Humboldt Park Pool, so perhaps it's part of that facility.  Either way, it's a playground and we do not judge to whom the facilities belong, nor do we care.

What did these boys think of it?

George Carlos - ★★★★, "there was this ladder, and it was really wiggly.  And, I saw a big giant chicken there (he meant "some raw chicken").  Uhm, and I found a slide, my favorite chair, and that's all."

Máximo - ★★★★ 1/2, "because I really liked the weather, and I like the equipment there, and liked playing with my bros."

George Carlos' review seemed to start focused, but they both seemed to have enjoyed it, which is not uncommon.  If they have a good time (which can all depend on weather, their mood, my mood, appetite, a myriad of things), they can go on to give a crappy park a good review.  This park, though, was pretty decent.

Our approach isn't always graceful/orthodox.

This park is in great condition, has plenty to balance on, which I personally appreciate. 

Balance action.

And more balance equipment.

There's the addition of the oddly shaped pleathery climbing apparatus.

It's like office carpeting, for kids.

There are various pieces of climbing equipment.

Chains/bars and the curvy rock climbing wall.

They offer plenty of the tried and tested park standards that we have all come to expect, like:

Slides.

Teeter totter.

Swings (including Georgie's favorite - the Lazyboy)

I'm not sure what's going on here.

And even the occasional surprise strange piece of equipment, like:

This odd barfo machine that my (apparently slack-jawed) sons enjoyed.

 

And THIS THING.

We weren't entirely sure how to use it.

All in all, a great experience, we three give this park the nod.  We appreciate it's inventive equipment, and would definitely recommend its use.

This is the best I could do for links, beyond the pool link that is within the above text:  https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8988762,-87.7034375,18.5z

07/27/2014 - Lucy Flower Park, Logan Square, Rockwell and Moffat

Post #23

As I attempt to catch up on my gross backlog of park reviews that I have neglected to add to this blog, I get this one.  Lucy Flower Park, which is around the corner from our house, recently rehabbed (we tried to go there sometime in 2013 and it had been razed - I should blog about our failed attempts too), and a fun little park.

Unfortunately, I seem to have only two photos from that day - the above panoramic, and the obligatory signage photo below:

Are these the only pics?  I think Kim has some.

 I'm pretty sure my wife Kim has more from that day (a year ago today, I'm just noticing), and I will add them later - yeah right.

Máximo ★★★ 1/2, "because there was a splash pad, and it was good weather, and there was good equipment, and I liked climbing on all the stuff."

George Carlos - ★★★★★, "because there was lots of bars, I got climb on a lot of stuff, splash pads... and that is all that I wanted to say."


Welp, without the benefit of photos from that day (I made a valiant effort to find them on Kim's laptop), it's difficult to say much about this park - BUT, the website (below) has great photos and it's just your normal fare.  Nice park.  Sorry about lack of pics.  Egg on face.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/flower-lucy-playlot-park/#i0b7pd3dp1

06/08/2014 - Walsh Park, Wicker Park, (1722 N.) Ashland and the 606 (which was not yet built when we went)

Post #22

Walsh - this was actually the one that we meant to go to when we ended up at Burr Elementary.  We eventually made it two weeks later, and had a great time.  And got some shots of the 606 a year before its launch.

M, G, and January.

Boys...

George Carlos - ★★★★★, "it was awesome. People got to make Jan happy, that's my dog.  And, had a lot of fun.  That's why I gave it a five.  Máximo?"

Máximo - ★★★★★, "I'd give it a five, because there was a lot of good equipment, I had a lot of fun, and the zip lines were good.  And I like the wheel spinner."  

Then George Carlos interrupted by saying, "And it was awesome - The End."

This is a good one, indeed, as the boys said.  There are plenty of toadstool jumper things, a staggering amount of swings (10 or so in a row - including the baby ones), and slides galore.  

Decent slides.

We tend to break into games after a while, so I like to get the kids to just exploit the park of its resources so that our review will be informed.

MAV

The classic conveyor.

One of these slowly entertaining corkscrews.

Lots of monkeying and climbing to be had.

Monkeying for GCVV.

Monkeying for M.

I think these things power the city, honest.

The 606 when under construction.

Most of the lay o' the land.

All parks have to have these spring things.

Enough swings to choke a horse.

Brothers.

Kiddie attractions for littler ones.

Máximo's famed "wheel spinner."

It's a goodun - comes highly recommended.  We haven't been back since the 606 opened up (we rarely do repeats, only in special cases), but I'm sure it received a face lift.

http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/Walsh-Playground-Park/

05/26/2014 - Burr Elementary School, Wicker Park, Ashland and Wabansia

Post #21

Sometimes park ratings suffer due to our personal ability to enjoy a park based on the weather, outside temperature, illness, or what have you.  Burr Elementary's review got stung by the heat, back in May of last year, as well as the fact that school playgrounds take a great measure of punishment by their very nature.

Tell us how you really feel, boys.

Let's review, shall we?

George Carlos - ★★, "I gave it, um, a number 2.  Because, one of the bars were broken, and, um... it was really hot outside."

Máximo - ★★ 1/2, "because the zip line was rusty, and the climbing bars were broken, and it was really hot outside too."

The weather will do it's best to kill our experience, but there are examples of when it's blistering out and we still have a great time - it was a hot July in 2013 when we hit Mary Bartelme Park in the West Loop, and we still gave it a perfect rating, so there you go.

Pics for illustrative purposes.

Most of the spread.

MAV improvising with destroyed equipment.

Monkey bars.

M and G hitting the curvy and hiding in the shaded portion.

The G bomb, with a photo bomb from M.

Typical and unexciting slide action.

Plastic tends to get hot in direct sunlight.

I'm sure this park serves it's purpose as a playground for elementary students, but it's not terribly fun, and it's in bad shape.  I used to skate the stairs here, when I lived down the road (2001), and I'm not sure it's changed much since then.

http://www.burrschool.org/